


sweet deal

by zarahjoyce



Category: Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Coffeeshop AU, F/M, Gen, Modern AU, lord have mercy they are so cute tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24389884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zarahjoyce/pseuds/zarahjoyce
Summary: "You know, one of these days I'm gonna get you to ordersomething elseother than coffee, black. See if I don't." She begins to hand him his change, then pulls back at the last second and says, "Cloud, right?""Well, how about you trynotto press your customers to pay for something else other than what they ordered?" He raises his brow, checks out her name tag, and says, "Aerith, right?"
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 16
Kudos: 115





	sweet deal

"Coffee, Black. Got it." She smiles at him and says, "Anything else?"  
  
He tries not to look impatient as he replies, "Uh no, thanks."  
  
"You sure? Our bagel's just hot off the oven. I highly recommend pairing it with your plain-- I mean, _black_ coffee."  
  
He's already reaching for his wallet to fish out the exact amount. "Probably next time."  
  
"How about some brownies, then?" She bats her eyelashes at him. "They're _really_ good."  
  
Without breaking eye contact, he slides a bill towards her - just to cover _one_ measly cup of black coffee.  
  
"Oookay," she sing-songs, taking the money and ringing him up. "You know, one of these days I'm gonna get you to order _something else_ other than coffee, black. See if I don't." She begins to hand him his change, then pulls back at the last second and says, "Cloud, right?"  
  
"Well, how about you try _not_ to press your customers to pay for something else other than what they ordered?" He raises his brow, checks out her name tag, and says, "Aerith, right?"  
  
"Looks like _someone_ didn't attend Business 101." She sighs, then pushes his coins towards him reluctantly.   
  
"Didn't have to. It's not part of my current curriculum." He then takes the coins and turns away to find a place inside the coffee shop.  
  
"Hmph!"  
  


* * *

  
"I know, I know. Black coffee, no brownie, no bagel. Right?"  
  
Already he's reaching for his wallet. "And here I was, looking forward to the ways I can say no to all your offers."  
  
"Meanie," she says with a pout, ringing him up. Aerith then leans closer and whispers conspiratorially, "What, are you allergic to-- you know. Things? In the brownie _or_ the bagel? I mean, if you are, you can tell me."  
  
"If I do tell you, I'll have to kill you." Somehow he manages to keep a straight face while saying the words.  
  
She looks like she wanted to say something in response, changes her mind, and says, "Well, let me know if you are. We have EpiPens around, just in case." He didn't even have to wait this time; his coffee's already being pushed towards him.  
  
"Business 101?" Cloud asks, despite himself.  
  
"With so many nuts around here?" Aerith grins at him, taps the side of her head. "More like common sense."  
  


* * *

  
"--what's _this?"_   
  
Cloud takes the extra saucer with three cookies on it that he got from the server back to the counter - which _Aerith_ now mans. He pushes it towards her and tells her, "I didn't order this."  
  
"Oh, I know," she says flippantly, pushing the saucer back. "It's on the house."  
  
"--excuse me?"  
  
Aerith points at the other customers and says, "We gave samples to _everyone_ this afternoon. It's a new recipe we're trying - if the reception's good, then maybe we'll be adding it up to our menu."   
  
Well, _now_ he feels foolish. "--right."  
  
She peers up at him. "What, you think _you're_ the only one I gave cookies to?"  
  
"N-No," Cloud replies, busy looking at the cookies so that he doesn't have to look at _her_. "I just... don't want to have to pay for something I didn't order in the first place."  
  
"I know," she says. Then Aerith blinks and clarifies swiftly, "I-I mean I _don't_ know, I just... guessed."   
  
Cloud takes the saucer and replies, "Right."  
  
He goes back to his table. For want of anything else to do, he gets a cookie - chocolate chip, from the color of it - and takes a tentative bite.  
  
...oh.  
  
 _Oh._  
  
Okay.  
  
That's...  
  
...huh.  
  


* * *

  
"One coffee comma black for Cloud!" Aerith calls, and with a sigh he gets up from his seat to take it--  
  
\--in time to see a tray of chocolate chip cookies being brought out from the back to the display counter.  
  
She follows his gaze and says, cheekily, "See anything you like?"  
  
"So are you--" He clears his throat. "Will you be giving free samples today?"  
  
"Nope!" Aerith smiles at him. "Today we're starting to sell them. I mean, we can't continue giving them away for free, silly." She turns away to fluff some napkins before giving him the side eye. "Especially since you ate _a lot_ of them last time that not a lot of people got to sample them, as a result."  
  
"Oh." He tries to hide his disappointment - and thinks he got successful at it. "So how much is it?"  
  
"5 gil for one cookie," she replies, looking at him again. "Though since we're technically still introducing them to the market, I'll give you a deal. 3 cookies for 10 gil."   
  
It didn't even take him long; Cloud's already reaching for his wallet. "I'll take 6."  
  
"You sure?" Aerith asks him.  
  
Wordlessly, he slides her 20 gil.  
  
Gleefully, she takes the money - then goes to get him his cookies, _seven_ in all.  
  
Except when she hands him the plate, Aerith takes the topmost one and says, "This one's for me - since I got you to order _something else_ other than black coffee. _Finally."_ She reaches over to lightly push him in jest. "Took you long enough to break!"  
  
"Wait. What?" Cloud asks. "You mean--"  
  
She just winks at him.  
  
 _You know, one of these days I'm gonna get you to order_ something else _other than coffee, black. See if I don't.  
_  
 _Well, how about you try_ not _to press your customers to pay for something else other than what they ordered?  
_  
Oh.  
  
...right.  
  
He scratches the back of his head, sighs aloud. "Business 101?"  
  
"Business 101," she affirms with a grin.


End file.
